Simple Destinations
by Cursed-Pearl
Summary: (UD-61203) Chapter 5 'Wasn’t Kat, but her younger sister. He couldn’t be sure which of them it was, they all the obvious alike features, blonde hair, blue eyes...'
1. Prologue, But now I’m back

Simple Destinations  
  
Kat Sully  
  
I was only fifteen when Pa died. He was always so strong, but then he came down with cholera. I remember how weak he looked, how he needed me to help him. Ma sending me to get all the medicines from Lewis while she looked after him. They put quarantine around the clinic. Meaning me, Ma and Danielle were locked in with Pa while he became weaker and weaker. I was there when he died. I didn't touch him. I couldn't. I was too scared. He looked up at me and said my name. His last words were at me, and I wouldn't go near enough to hear what he'd said. I could read his lips though, for that one words. 'Kates.' It was his nickname for me. Watching him die was worse than watching Mr Bray die.  
  
It was the same week as Pa's funeral that Ben rode into town. Cowboy Ben, Lauren had called them. Lauren's my youngest sister. She'd be twelve now. Danielle will be fifteen. Anyway, Ben turned up that week. The day after, when I was sitting by the creek, mine and Pa's favourite place. Ben came along and he sat down with me, talking to me about the pretty girls back in southern Oregon. Told me I could match up to them anyway. It made me smile. The first smile I'd given since Pa.  
  
He asked me what was wrong after that. Said he noticed the tears in my eyes. And there was something in his that made me trust him. Made me want to tell him and I did. He didn't say much afterwards. We sat in silence for a long while before he asked if I could play poker. I'd watched Mathew teaching Brian, and I learned from that. So I told him yes. He took me back to his camp and let me meet his gang, Ty, David and Lizzie. They were poker players and they let me play with them. I didn't have any money though, so I gambled the pin Grandma had given to me. I lost it. But I won it back in the next game. Ty called me a natural.  
  
I started spending most of the day with them. I hated going home and looking at Ma's face. Danielle and me started fighting a lot. She said I didn't care about Pa dying, but she had no idea.  
  
So come the next week, I left. Ben and the gang were moving on and I wasn't about to let them go without me. I packed my saddle bag and put all the clothes I could on me and I rode outta town. And I've never been back since. I sent a birthday card to Lauren that year, so they knew I was okay. And that was that.  
  
But now. I'm back. 


	2. Smile, brightening her features

'You all right, Kat?' Ben looked over at her as they pulled up on the outskirts of Colorado Springs.  
  
Kat drew in a deep breath, eyeing the way to her where she'd lived her childhood. The streets were filled with folk. She could see her former best friend, Gracie, walking into the café. She smiled a little, looking over at him and nodded, 'Yeah.'  
  
David and Lizzie rode up beside them, confused as to why they'd stopped. 'What's wrong?' Lizzie looked over at them.  
  
Kat grinned and shrugged, 'Nothing.' She kicked her horse in the side, riding on into town.  
  
The other four quickly nudged their horses after her, riding into the town of Colorado Springs.  
  
She smiled, pulling up at the livery, noticing Robert E and Abe working. She smiled a little, pleased to see one of her former close friends. She dismounted Bandit and held her reins, walking into the livery. She grinned, slightly.  
  
'How's it going there, Abe?'  
  
He looked over at her, confusedly. His eyes widened in shock when he noticed her, 'Katie?'  
  
'Kat,' she corrected, a wide smile came across her face, brightening her features.  
  
He chuckled, hugging her briefly, 'Missed ya.' As they pulled back he looked at her confusedly, 'what're you doin' here?'  
  
Kat just giggled and shrugged, 'Passin' through.'  
  
Abe looked past her at Ben, as he dismounted his horse and walked over. 'Abe,' Ben nodded at him.  
  
Abe nodded back, 'Ben.'  
  
'You working here, now, then?' Kat continued the conversation.  
  
'Yeah, Pa needs the help,' he nodded over at the hospital, on the other side of town, 'you gonna see your Ma?'  
  
She shrugged, 'I dunno. I might just see if I run into her.' She sat down on the pile of hay, 'I'm gonna go to Pa's grave and see if I can see Lauren on her way back from school. She's the only one I really wanna see.'  
  
'Your Ma'd be glad to see ya,' Abe replied, 'she aint been the same since ya left. Always workin'. It's all she does.'  
  
'All she done before I left,' Kat replied, 'only people I missed was you and Gracie, Pa and my little sister. I didn't miss her.' 


	3. Graveyard, abandoning all intentions

Kat sighed, quietly, walking slowly towards the graveyard, where her father and little brother rested. She swallowed the lump in her throat, as she stepped over a fallen branch. She looked over at the church, eyeing it, resentment filling her.  
  
She tore her eyes away, looking over at the two houses, situated on the edge of the meadow. Newly built, they had only been there for a couple of years before she left, she felt herself filled with pride, knowing her father her assisted in the building of them. Kat smiled, wondering if Dania Smith still lived there. She was an old woman in her mid sixties, who had lived there with her daughter, Maria's, family, which had consisted of Calvin, Maria and their three children, Beth, who was seven, Jade, who was four and baby Andrew.  
  
She rubbed her hands together, uncomfortably, then tugged down on the brown, cloth trousers on her legs. She reached up and quickly flicked her long, dark hair back over her shoulder, as she reached the fence.  
  
Kat sighed, hesitating, suddenly unsure if she should proceed. She stepped closer to the fence, leaving her arms on the fence. She sighed, leaning forward, so part of her was over the fence. She looked over at the two graves situated beneath the large oak tree. She looked down at the soil lightly swinging one of her legs back and forward behind her.  
  
'This can't be little Katie,' a familiar voice sounded behind her.  
  
Kat turned her head, her eyes meeting with Dania. She broke into a smile, 'Hey, Mrs Smith,' she turned, walking closer to her, 'how are ya?'  
  
'Goodness, how you've grown!' the old woman placed her hands on her shoulders, squeezing them lightly. Kat let out a shy giggle. 'When did you get back home, then? Seen your sisters yet? You wouldn't recognise little Lauren, the time you've been gone, child!'  
  
'How's Maria and the kids?'  
  
'Oh, they're doin' good,' Dania smiled, 'Andy learns more and more everyday. He talks like there's no tomorrow.'  
  
Kat laughed and smiled, 'I'll have to come by and see 'im sometime.'  
  
'That you will, darlin',' she smiled at her.  
  
She smiled and shifted a little, rubbing her hands together, 'I.' she tipped her head back slightly, 'I better get back. Ben don't know where I am, he might get worried.'  
  
'All right, well, I'll hope to see you sometime soon, Katie,' Dania smiled.  
  
Kat smiled back, not bothering to correct her on the name, she wouldn't be staying her long enough for it to become permanent. She turned and flipped her hair back over her shoulder again, as she walked back into town, abandoning all intentions of visiting her father's grave. 


	4. Death, everything in the family stopped

'Lauren, pass the potatoes,' Danielle spoke up, dropping her fork onto her plate.  
  
The twelve year old reached across the table, lifted the bowl and passed it to her sister, 'Here.'  
  
Danielle looked across the table at her mother, who was looking at her plate, quietly consuming her meal. She shifted in her seat, 'Busy day, Ma?'  
  
Lauren looked over at her mother, who hadn't yet responded or even acknowledged that her older sister had just asked a question. She looked down at her plate.  
  
Her mother was like that these days, ever since Pa died actually. It was as if she had her own little world. She wondered if she'd be smiling, laughing in the place she lets her mind drift off to. It was rare to see a smile on her mother's face. It was like she felt guilty to smile because Pa and Katie weren't there to share it. Be happy with them.  
  
Katie chose to leave though. She decided she didn't want to be happy with them anymore, so why should they be punished because of what she done? Pa told us one time that sometimes what other people do can affect those around them. That's what happened. The minute he died, everything in the family stopped. Time stopped. Ma was plunged into mourning the death of her husband, and was then distraught to find her eldest middle daughter had left only a week later.  
  
No one was happy after that.  
  
'Ma?'  
  
Lauren came out of her thoughts, when her sister once again addressed her mother.  
  
Michaela's head snapped up, looking at her, 'Yes?'  
  
'Was it busy today?' Danielle repeated, then added, 'at the clinic?'  
  
'No, not really,' Michaela shook her head, and forced a small smile. The other two smiled back at her, slightly, and went on with eating their meal.  
  
After a few seconds, Lauren pushed her half full plate away from her and looked over at her mother, 'Ma, can I be excused? I told Annie I'd go and see her after dinner.'  
  
'Yes, of course,' Michaela nodded. She young girl stood from her seat and ran over to the door, grabbing her jacket as she stepped out into the fading light. 


	5. Creek, wary and untrusting

Ben cursed, irritably as he stumbled on another rock. He wasn't too fond of this part of the woods. He'd humiliated himself the first time he'd met Kat by tripping and falling into the creek. A memory he'd been determined to forget, however being in the same place again only reminded him. He couldn't get around it though, Kat had disappeared earlier on in the morning and now it was past dark. This was the only place he'd been sure to find her and didn't dare go to the homestead to look for her.  
  
He caught a glimpse of shiny blonde hair over at the other side of the creek. He hurried his pace, grunting as his foot caught on a branch. He ripped it free and jumped over the falling branch, making his way out of the trees. He froze a little and slowed his pace as he made his way to the edge of the woods. He looked across the other side of the stream, realising it wasn't Kat, but her younger sister. He couldn't be sure which of them it was, they all the obvious alike features, blonde hair, blue eyes.  
  
He peered closer, recognising the face of the youngest sister, Lauren. He sighed, easing into a sitting position, unsure if the youngster had yet to know of her older sister's return to Colorado Springs. From the calm look on her face, he couldn't only assume she didn't. Word obviously hadn't gotten through the town.  
  
'Ben?' a whisper came from behind, starling him. He flipped his head around, careful not to gain Lauren's attention.  
  
He came face to face with Kat, their noses almost touching. She instinctively leaned back sighing, 'What are you doing hidin' in the bushes?'  
  
He held a finger to her lips and pointed over to her younger sister.  
  
Kat looked past him, her eyes resting on the young girl, barely recognising her. Her eyes widened in realisation of who she was, and she hurriedly stood from her position, making her way into the clearing, 'Lauren!'  
  
The twelve year old's head snapped up at the sound of her name. Her eyes scanned the other side of the creek until she noticed Katie, standing opposite. She stumbled to her feet, 'Katie?' Confusion, excitement and delight filled the young girl, and she broke into a wide smile with recognition.  
  
Her older sister broke into a wide smile, 'Hey, Laurie.'  
  
Her eyes slowly turned wary and untrusting. She thought back to four years ago, when they all discovered she had gone. The pain her mother endured. She slowly backed away from the edge of the creek, tears filling her eyes as another figure appeared beside her sister.  
  
Kat's eyes turned pleading, 'Laurie.'  
  
'Leave,' Lauren whispered, before turning and running into the woods behind. 


	6. Homestead, she's back

The branches ripped at her dress as she hurried from that place at the creek. She hadn't looked back to see if she was following her. She just wanted to get home and be with Ma and Danielle. Forget what she saw. She thought of her mother and the pain Katie's return would bring to her. She couldn't tell her. She had to hide it. She heard branches snapping behind her and knew Katie was close behind. She was nearing the homestead; Ma couldn't see her. She stopped, abruptly, and turned to face her sister.

Kat's steps slowed when she realised Lauren had stopped running. She hurried over to her"Laurie…"

"Why are you here, Katie" Lauren demanded"Don't you know what this is gonna do to Ma"

Kat looked at her little sister. Her baby sister when she'd left. "I…"

"Just leave Katie" she responded"You can't be here."

"Kat" Ben walked over to them.

Lauren looked at Ben as he came nearer to them. He was the reason Katie left. The reason her family was suffering. She hated him.

"Lauren, I'm so sorry…"

"Katie, please, just leave" Lauren shook her head"You don't know what it's been like. You don't know anything." She turned and hurried towards the homestead.

Kat watched after her, fighting back tears. Ben placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

Lauren burst into the homestead, unable to hold back tears. Michaela looked over from the fireplace"Laurie? Are you all right, sweetheart"

Lauren nodded quickly and hurried up the stairs. She couldn't tell her, as much as she wanted to. She wondered who knew she was back. Maybe she was only back for the night. Passing through. She burst into Danielle's bedroom.

Danielle jumped and looked over from her desk. She frowned, noticing her sister's distress and stood from her seat"Laurie, what's wrong"

Lauren let a small sob escape her lips as she pushed the bedroom door shut. Her older sister hurried over to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder, pulling her close"Laurie" Lauren leaned against her older sister, uncertain if she should tell her. She knew how Danielle hated Katie since she left. It might only make things worse. But why should Katie need protecting? She hadn't done anything for them the past four years.

"Laurie, what is it" Danielle persisted.

"It's Katie."

Danielle bristled, somewhat"What about Katie"

"She's back."


End file.
